SPECIAL INVESTIGATION TASK GROUP UPDATE

LINGAYEN—More than a week after the slay attempt on former governor and former congressman Amado Espino Jr., the Special Investigation Task Group formed to track down the gunmen and the plotters has not seen a significant breakthrough into case after identifying the owners of the two get-away vehicles used by the suspects.

P/Brig. General Joel Orduna, police regional director, said SITG Espino Jr. led by P/ Colonel Ismael Yu, the newly designated Deputy Regional Director for Operations, had already summoned the owners of the Red Hyundai Elentra hatchback whose ownership changed four times in a period of over two years, and a gray Ford Everest with only one registered owner. 

The Hyundai Elentra was found to have been registered in the name of one Marivic Villanueva who said was sold to Michael Padayao on Nov. 24, 2017, and was resold the car to one Pedravallo Lucinerta who also claimed he resold this to a certain Jewel Castro without any proof of deed of sale. 

The conduction sticker of the Hyundai Elantra, abandoned by the gunmen in Barangay Cobol, San Carlos City, had a conduction sticker for another vehicle.  

The blue Ford Everest, registered in the name Paul Regalado, was found abandoned in Barangay Pasima, Malasiqui.

Orduna said affidavits submitted to the SITG are being evaluated.

Both vehicles yielded several high-powered firearms and ammunition as well as a hand grenade.

Orduña told newsmen in Lingayen that they are into all angles. “Issues are looked into as part of the real motive that we are investigating, including politics, business rivalry, personal grudge,” he said.

Asked by a newsman if drugs is being considered, Orduna said: “We are not really concentrating on this, but as I said earlier, all angles are being looked into”.

Meanwhile, Anthony Columbino, driver of the back-up vehicle Toyota Innova, asked for voluntary custody of the San Carlos City Police because he said, he fears for his life.

Columbino, who was unscathed, was asked to explain why he abandoned the vehicle and his colleagues and left at once for his home province of Nueva Vizcaya.  

“The normal reaction of one placed under that kind of situation is to go to the nearest police station. Worse is, hindi niya dapat iniwan ang mga kasama niya” Orduña said.

His passengers in the Toyota Innova, P/Staff Sergeant Richard Esguerra died on the spot while Kervin Marpori, a private nurse, was wounded and has since been discharged from the hospital.

“Ang Toyota Innova ay tumigil samantalang ang Land Cruiser ay tuloy-tuloy. Doon sa right side pumuwesto ang mga gunmen. Doon daw sa kaliwa nag-exit si Columbino,” P/Lt. Col. Mary Cystal Peralta, PRO1 public information officer, said.

Espino’ Jr.’s driver, Agapito Cuison, still managed to drive Espino to a nearby hospital despite gunshot wounds but later died while being treated at the hospital, while Staff Sgt. Jayson Malsi is still recovering at the hospital.

Columbino might be made to undergo a psychological test and as a lie detector test, Peralta said.

Peralta said Orduna is considering on detaining him as one of persons of interest in addition to identified several persons of interest identified by Espino Jr. (Leonardo Micua/Helen Martin)

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